Tapped In

Recently, a friend sent me a bottle of Tap 357 maple-flavored rye whisky and asked me to tell her what I thought of it. She also forwarded a link to an article that says Jenna Layden, a product developer for Whole Foods, has been trying to replace pumpkin flavor in products with maple flavors for a couple of years – an interesting challenge.

Of course, it’s fun to play around with a spirit to see what comes of it. While none of these are Tales-of-the-Cocktail worthy, they all work out pretty good in spite of (or perhaps because of) their simplicity:

• Tap Toddy. My first encounter with spirits was many decades ago at Christmas and New Year’s Eve when my parents would allow us kids a hot toddy made with rock candy (granular sugar will work), hot water and a few drops of Four Roses. Substitute more than a few drops of Tap and consider adding brown sugar instead of rock candy.

• Canadian Coffee. Another substitute, this one with maple whisky subbing for Irish Cream with the addition of a floated layer of fresh whipped cream.

• Drunken Dunkin’. I seldom eat biscotti without dunking them into something, coffee or Cognac being two favorite choices. Use two fingers of Tap in a narrow glass along with nutty biscotti.

• Over Ice Cream. Remember when maple walnut was a favorite ice cream flavor? Instead, take a rich vanilla ice cream, top with nuts and a stiff pour of whisky.

• Raid the Bar. I rummaged until I could find a trusty bottle of Frangelico and did a 2/3 whisky, 1/3 hazelnut mixture over crushed ice with a sprig of mint and a chocolate candy stirrer. Spinal Tap?

And I’ve not gotten to the food applications yet. Maybe a Thanksgiving stuffing with bacon marinated in maple whiskey. Or Tap whipped into sweet potatoes.